The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1887-06-25

having SOOO many ups anu uo"HS W
look morose. to feel sighted by the |
world and to give way to melancholy. |
but that is not the secret of the care |
worn look that is to be found on the |
countehances of men who operate eleva-
tors in the big buildings down town.
though every body knows they have
ups and downs enough.
Why is it they have sober visages,
such painful looks as neglected people
wear?
Why is it their faces are always set,
immobile, fixed in a stony gaze, and that
their facial expression in general would
suggest them to be members in good
standing Of some brotherhood of misery.
some secret order whose object was the
unhappiness of all those who belong to
itP It can't be that the law of compen-
sation doesn't apply in their cases just
as well as it does in the cases Of men
engaged in other pursuits. Your eleva-
tor man who hears the merry jingle of
the sleigh-bells in winter time can thank
his stars he doesn't have to work out in
the cold, and in summer he's safe from
sunstroke so long as he sticks to his
elevator. Ordinarily he isn't drenched
when 1t rains, and he doesn't get his
teet wet and run the risk Of pneumonia,
with all the ticklish chances that follow
that interesting malady. Neither is he
in great danger Of being bitten by q
mad-dog on the streets, nor MANNED, or
perhaps killed by some runaway. He
Is safe from great many dangers. but
to look at him one wouldn't think SO.
Perhaps the secret of his detected,
rueful look is contained in what a young
attorney said the other day. This young
man ''offices" near the skylight of q
very tall building on LaSalle street,
and, bethinking him of the scarcity of
litigants and the need of spring over
coat put highly original plan in &C
ton calculated to help him out Of his
dilemma. He went to the elevator
man, gave him at various times cigars,
now and then q theater ticket and
by similar arts which most young at
torneys know how to employ, succeeded
In gaining the friendly regard of the
disma, fellow. He wasn't required to
do much in return. All the young at
torney wanted was If any stranger came
to the elevator with card and desired
toknow what room was Lawyer Browns
orLswyer Smiths Office, just to take the
man in, whisk him up to the top floor,
and send him to the young attorney.
The latter had sufficient confidence in
his ability, once the intending litiganI
was seated, to feel pretty sure Of max
ing him client before ending the inter
view. That is how the young lega
gentleman struck up an acquaintanc,
with one elevator man, and, since find
ing that it paid, he has gone out of hi
way to become acquainted with man,
othes. He says that as class ele
vator men are misjudged, unappre
ciated, ignored.
People" he says, twill think Of tn
elevator, speculate in their own mind
whesher the COMPOUNDED thing is goinI
to blow up or drop into the basement
or what not, while they are in it The
win think of the man they are going t
see and all about the business the
have in hand. but never waste
thought on the elevator man. There
where the shoe pinches. The elevate
man is Lett out of all calculation. H
is overlooked. No one speaks to hiI
unless to extract some information
then he is left severely alone, Will
those about him keep up constant cha
ter concerning the fine weather. what
nice day it is outside, till he fairl
aches to cut the rope he's pulling into
thousand pieces and rush out in,
the warm sunshine free man. 1t
this sighting Of mans vanity th'
makes him almost as much of m
chine as the one that carries the pa
sengers. He feels they look upon hi
As part Of the machine, and gradual
degeneratcs in manner to somethir
Of mechanical subserviency. Do "
wonder he has nothing to sayp Ii
surprising he looks glum and has
funeral aspectr The same hardsh
doesn't exist in any other calling whe
single man is expected to exerci
oversight and the safety Of others
concerned. Look at the street-car co
ductors. They handle cousiderab
money. and. among the dishonest
Suspicious who ride on the oars. emf
ths privilege of being able to 'kno'
devh' Thsy more sbsqs > g0od De-